Regardless of your culinary command in the kitchen, consider adding a little spice to your vacation with a cooking class. Try out some of our favorites grouped by region:
Southwest
Midwest
Southeast
Northeast
Southwest
Inn on the Alameda
Santa Fe, N.M.
The cooking school provided by this charming inn in Santa Fe includes a two night stay, a 2-1/2 hour class (with lunch and recipes), large continental breakfasts both days and other amenities. The cooking school fee starts at about $400 for double occupancy, depending on room choice.
303 E. Alameda
Santa Fe, NM 87501
800-289-2122
www.innonthealameda.com
Applewood Inn & Restaurant
Sonoma County, Calif.
Classes at the La Buona Cooking School are held twice a month and range from preparing unusual cuts of meat to BBQ and seafood. The rate is $100 per person for a daytime class and $150 for an evening class, with dinner. The inn features16 rooms and suites and occupies three pink stucco buildings. The Piccola Casa suite, with its bedside fireplace, is particularly nice. There are no special packages with rooms included. Doubles start at about $200.
13555 Highway 116
Guerneville, CA
800-555-8509
www.applewoodinn.com
Red Mountain Spa School
St. George, Utah
At this spa school for adventure cuisine in St. George, Utah, executive chef Jim Gallivan teaches four two hour cooking classes every month. He allows time for hiking and other activities in the schedule. Each class is limited to 12 participants and emphasizes the principles of healthy cooking. Package cost is about $2,800 for double occupancy and about $1,700, single. The package includes deluxe accommodations in a pristine natural environment, three meals a day, fitness classes, spa facilities and other active life amenities.
1275 E. Red Mountain Cir.
Ivins, UT 84738
800-407-3002
www.redmountainspa.com
Midwest
Cherry Valley Lodge
Newark, Ohio
This lodge offers several cooking and wine weekends throughout the year. They also feature a program to cook with your kids. Programs include lessons, accommodations, breakfasts and one dinner. Costs start at about $600 for double occupancy.
2299 Cherry Valley Rd.
Newark, OH 43055
800-788-8008
www.cherryvalleylodge.com
Southeast
Ritz Carlton, Amelia Island
Amelia Island, Fla.
The Ritz-Carlton offers a seasonal two day package that includes working side-by-side with the resort's talented chefs. The cooking school package includes two nights in a spacious, coastal-view guest room, daily lunch with the chef, as well as all of the amenities of a luxury resort. The package fees begin at about $900 double occupancy, $650 single.
4750 Amelia Island Parkway
Amelia Island, FL 32034
800-241-3333
www.ritzcarlton.com
Jekyll Island Club Hotel
Jekell Island, Ga.
"Cooking at the Club" is a special three-night, four-day package available every August at the Club Hotel on Jekyll Island, the barrier island midway between Savannah, Ga. and Jacksonville, Fla. The mid week package includes superior rooms in Crane Cottage for three nights, hands on cooking classes in the Crane Cottage kitchen, patisserie sessions, a wine tasting evening with the club's sommelier, a daily breakfast and farewell dinner. Doubles start at about $1,000, $650 single.
371 Riverview Dr.
Jekyll Island, Ga 31527
800-535-9547
www.jekyllclub.com
The Greenbrier Culinary Arts Center
White Sulphur Springs, W.V.
This Greenbrier Spa has been offering cooking classes since 1977 and a variety of new activities are in store for 2005, including BBQ University with Steven Raichlen (May 3-6, May12-15, June 12-15 and September 4-7), Saveur Cooks (April 22-24), A Marriage of Food and Wine (May 24-27) and Cooking with Cast Iron with Chef John Folse (September 11-14). Please visit the Greenbrier website for current rate and booking information.
300 W. Main Street
White Sulphur Springs, WV 24986
800-228-5049
www.greenbrier.com
Northeast
Wheatleigh
Lenox, Mass.
This English style country house hotel in Lenox, Mass. is renowned for its exquisite dinners. Chef Bryce Whittlesey lets you in on his secrets with his personally directed culinary classes. His full-day classes are limited to six participants and held twice a year. There are also shorter evening classes as well. Full day classes, including lunch and dinner are about $200 per person.; half day, about $100; evening classes, including dinner are $125.
Hawthorne Road
Lennos, MA 01240
413-637-0610
www.wheatleigh.com
Fourteen Lincoln Street
Niantic, Conn.
The shore village of Niantic offers a culinary weekend retreat under special arrangements. You and a group of family or friends must reserve all four guest rooms of this unusual bed and breakfast inn for a weekend that includes cooking classes taught by Cheryl Jean, the inn's proprietor and a Culinary Institute of America graduate. Jean specializes in regional New England cooking but she also offers themed classes if you prefer. The package includes two night's accommodations, a half-day cooking class, breakfasts and a sumptuous Saturday dinner for about $725 per couple.
14 Lincoln St.
Niantic, CT
860-739-8180
www.14lincolnstreet.com
Strewn Winery Cooking School
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada
This wine country cooking school offers five day packages consisting of daily hands on cooking classes, visits to food markets and producers, wine tastings, breakfasts and lunches, dinner at one of the region's top restaurants and deluxe accommodations at the Harbour House Hotel. The package double rate is about $4,600 or $2,600 for single and includes daily shuttle service between the hotel and cooking school. Classes are held from late May through mid November.
1339 Lakeshore Road, RR3.
Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON
905-468-1229
www.winecountrycooking.com
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